Chapter Fifteen: The Fifth Son of the Yue Family

Li Yanqing was momentarily stunned, doubting whether he had heard correctly. Wang Gui, Tang Huai—so was Yue Fei here as well?

Although Li Yanqing knew that Yue Fei was also from Tangyin County in Xiangzhou Prefecture and that Yue Fei’s age should be about the same as his own, Tangyin County covered several hundred square miles, dotted with hundreds of villages of varying sizes. Communication was limited and transportation inconvenient. It was unlikely their paths would cross easily. Yet, on the very first day of school, he encountered two figures connected to Yue Fei: Wang Gui and Tang Huai.

Li Er was quite fearful. “I’ll go wake up Master!” he said, about to slip away, but Li Yanqing grabbed him firmly. “Don’t be foolish!”

If they woke Master Yao, the first to be expelled would certainly be themselves.

Li Yanqing jumped down from the low wall and stepped forward confidently.

Li Er suddenly recalled that Brother Qing had even defeated a blood wolf; why would he be afraid of Wang Gui and Tang Huai? His courage returned, and he followed Li Yanqing by jumping down from the wall as well.

The two well-off young gentlemen before them were distinct: one tall and lean, the other short and stocky. Li Yanqing recognized the stocky one from earlier, the very same who had been scolded and struck with a bamboo whip by their master for speaking out of turn—presumably the so-called “Noble King”!

“Honored to meet you, young heroes!” Although they were older, Li Yanqing greeted them with a half-serious, half-teasing tone, clasping his fists.

“Boy, do you know the rules of the Lushan Hall?” Wang Gui pointed at Li Yanqing with a muffled voice.

“What rules? Do tell!”

Wang Gui shot a sharp glance at Li Er, as if blaming him for not informing the newcomer of the customs. Li Er’s legs trembled, and he whispered behind Li Yanqing, “Brother Qing, newcomers must pay respects to the faction on their first day. It’s not too late to do it now.”

Li Yanqing found it increasingly amusing—paying respects to the faction? Where had these kids picked up such traditions?

“How does one pay respects? Noble King, please teach me.”

He noticed Tang Huai was taciturn, but Wang Gui was straightforward and candid.

“It’s simple. You bow three times to each of us, then shout out loud, ‘A newcomer respectfully pays respects to the faction,’ and state your name sincerely. If we are satisfied, then it counts as done.”

“And what about a greeting gift?”

Li Yanqing spoke earnestly: “By the rules, the newcomer should offer a small token as a greeting gift. This elder brother here shouldn’t be left empty-handed.”

Wang Gui scratched his head, puzzled. He had never heard of newcomers giving gifts; usually, it was the newcomers who paid respects with gifts.

Li Yanqing found his bewildered expression quite entertaining and finally burst out laughing. Tang Huai muttered beside him, “Ah Gui, he’s playing you!”

Wang Gui felt mocked and instantly flushed with anger. Rolling up his sleeves, he stepped forward with a punch.

Li Yanqing had anticipated such a sudden attack. Wang Gui’s punch came aggressively, but Li Yanqing swiftly crouched and countered with a well-measured punch.

Wang Gui’s fist struck air, and before he could react, Li Yanqing’s blow landed squarely on his soft, plump belly.

“Ouch!” Wang Gui fell heavily to the ground, clutching his stomach and groaning.

Li Er jumped excitedly, shouting, “He even killed a blood wolf! You can’t beat him!”

A chorus of gasps arose from the crowd. The ferocious mastiff that had struck terror into everyone was slain by this guy—he was no ordinary person.

Li Yanqing smiled and beckoned to Tang Huai. “Brother Tang, want to try?”

Hearing that even the blood wolf had fallen to this newcomer, Tang Huai felt a chill run through him. Yet, unwilling to concede so easily, he turned to a younger boy, “Go fetch Brother Yue!”

Li Yanqing listened carefully and quickly asked Li Er, “Is ‘Brother Yue’ referring to Yue Fei?”

“Yes! He’s sitting right beside you.”

What a coincidence! Yue Fei was indeed at the school. Li Yanqing recalled the boy next to him who had been quietly writing all morning, dressed in the same somewhat worn blue linen robe. He hadn’t said a word—he must be Yue Fei.

Li Er lowered his voice to remind him, “Brother Yue is the grandson of Old Yao. Don’t speak ill of Old Yao in front of him.”

So Yue Fei was Master Yao’s grandson. Li Yanqing remembered that Yue Fei’s mother’s surname was Yao and that she came from a scholarly family.

Just then, the young boy who went to fetch Yue Fei returned, panting. “Brother Tang, Brother Yue says he wants to finish writing, or he won’t be able to hand in his homework tomorrow.”

“You little rascal, I’ll get you next time.”

Tang Huai helped the still groaning Wang Gui to his feet, shot Li Yanqing a sharp glare, then turned and left.

...

Li Yanqing had finally met his first famous figure since coming to the Song Dynasty: none other than Yue Fei.

“We all call him Brother Yue, but he’s actually the leader of Tang Huai and Wang Gui!” Li Er leaned against the classroom window, watching the focused Yue Fei and whispered, “He never bullies others, but he’s much tougher than those two.”

Li Yanqing observed Yue Fei from afar. Now only eight years old, Yue Fei had thick eyebrows and large eyes, a square face. He wore the same blue linen robe, showing his family was not wealthy.

“Brother Qing, I heard he has an older sister and a younger brother, and the family relies entirely on their father’s farming. He can study here only because his grandfather, Old Yao, pays his tuition.”

Li Yanqing nodded in understanding. Yue Fei did not even rest at noon, showing how much he treasured this hard-won chance to study.

At that moment, Yue Fei glanced up at Li Yanqing but did not greet him, turning the page and continuing to write with careful strokes.

Yue Fei, Wang Gui, and Tang Huai were from the same village and had played together since childhood. Wang Gui’s family had a martial arts instructor, so the three learned martial arts together. Wang Gui and Tang Huai were lax in their training, but Yue Fei was diligent. A few months prior, Wang Gui had been beaten badly by Liu Fu’er in a faction dispute, but Yue Fei had rescued him and taught Liu Fu’er a harsh lesson.

Yet today, Yue Fei ignored their quarrels and disapproved of newcomers being forced to pay respects—he found such behavior distasteful.

In the afternoon, they continued practicing calligraphy. Master Yao assigned extra work: rewriting several passages from the Analects five times each, also due the next morning.

The students groaned, many still unfinished with their morning tasks. This meant no sleep for them tonight.

Everyone set aside playfulness and buried themselves in their studies. The classroom was filled with the sound of rustling paper.

Suddenly, Li Yanqing noticed a slip of paper beside him. Using his brush, he unfolded it and saw it bore the name: “Yue Fei.”

Li Yanqing smiled and wrote his own name on it: “Li Yanqing.”

He glanced quickly at Yue Fei, who was still engrossed in his writing but had an unnoticed smile at the corner of his mouth.

...

School let out early that afternoon. Yue Fei and his companions were summoned by Master Yao to continue practicing in the teaching room. Li Yanqing wanted to greet Yue Fei before leaving but, recalling Old Yao’s stern expression, lost the mood. He packed his bag and headed home.

The Li brothers excitedly recounted their noontime scolding of Wang Gui, but Li Yanqing felt gloomy. His first day of study had earned Master Yao’s cold glare—how would they get along in the future?

Why had Master Yao’s expression changed upon hearing his father’s name? What had his father done to offend him?

“Brother Qing!” Li Er pulled him aside mysteriously, pointing quietly to a large gate by the official road, his face full of innuendo. “Do you know what’s inside there?”

Li Yanqing glanced at the gate, on which a plaque read: “Yichun Courtesan House.” He snorted—what fool didn’t know that this was a brothel?

But Li Yanqing was in a sour mood and didn’t feel like joking. “If you want to go, go ahead! I won’t tell your father.”

Just then, the door of the Yichun Courtesan House creaked open. “Master Li, next time I’ll have Green Pearl accompany you. Today she’s indisposed.”

“No! No! Next time it has to be Purple Jade. I like her very much.”

The madam came out, beaming, and upon seeing Li Yanqing and his friends, all four froze. The man who emerged was none other than Li Yanqing’s Fourth Uncle, Li Daguang.